The town of Battleford council approved the 2026 budget during the Dec. 15 regular council meeting.
The ask at the end of the last budget deliberation was $110 per door. Now, that ask has been brought down to a one-time increase of $75, which will be a base tax charged to every taxable entity in the town.
During the 2025 budget, a $100 Capital Replacement Levy was introduced and will remain the same for 2026. However, there will be an additional $20 charge per door to help fund the upcoming rink renovations.
Mayor Ames Leslie said the administration was able to find additional savings since the last meeting.
“They were able to spread out the projected CUPE increases into the fiscal years that they are going to be in, instead of taking a large portion of it into the first year,” Leslie said.
Due to the base rate, the property tax increase will vary per household. However, Leslie said it should average around two per cent.
“Council’s been able to hold the line for the last few years with very minimal increases, but this year it’s a little bit bigger than before.”
“They’ve still been able to find savings and pass a budget increase that I think most people will be happy with, as it is very budget conscious,” he said.
The January pay your taxes early discount was also approved during the budget this year. Residents can call or visit the town hall with last year’s tax roll. If the amount is paid in January, six per cent will be taken off the value. Leslie said this discount will continue to help both residents and the administration.
“It gives the town a little bit of upfront operating cash. Maybe you don’t have to dip into a reserve to pay the bills for the first few months,” he said.
During the meeting, Leslie also talked about gaps within the community. He said going into the new year, communication with residents will be a priority.
“Communication to our residents is something that has gotten really unfortunate in the last six to eight months, keeping our residents informed of what’s going on in the community and the expectations of the town, whether it’s garbage removal or snow removal, those types of things,” Leslie said.
To help with communication, a segment on CJNB radio will start in the new year, to help highlight important things that are happening in the town of Battleford.
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alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com
